More than two years after being promised electricity, housing opportunities, and official settlement recognition, residents of Cleveland's Jumpers Informal Settlement, east of Johannesburg, still live in filth. even though an alleged R59 million was set aside for electrification.
Mervyn Cirota, the Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng Shadow MEC for Human Settlements, described the conditions at Jumpers Informal Settlement as shocking and intolerable during a recent oversight visit.
He said the inspection exposed the dire reality of residents living amid filth and unsanitary conditions, with raw sewage running dangerously close to their homes. He added that there was no clear indication of how the R59 million reportedly allocated for the settlement’s electrification had been utilized.
“Residents are living in filth and poor, unsanitary conditions, with raw sewage flowing close to their homes. It was also impossible to determine how the R59 million allegedly spent on the electrification of the settlements was used.”
Cirota said the only visible evidence of progress was a few electrical poles installed in the area, but beyond that, no real work had taken place.
“The site remains completely unsuitable for formal development or housing, as it lacks the basic services and infrastructure required to sustain it,” he added.
Adding to the distress, Cirota revealed that three community activists who had been advocating for the development of the informal settlement were murdered in recent months, raising fears among residents and activists who continue to demand accountability.
The DA plans to table questions in both the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) and the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) to determine how the R59 million was spent, what measures are being taken to manage the settlement, and whether the electrification grant has been used as intended.
“Residents cannot be expected to live like this,” said Cirota. “A responsible government would ensure access to basic services, clean water, electricity, and proper sanitation, to restore dignity to these communities,” he said.
In response, the City of Johannesburg’s Department of Human Settlements confirmed that the R59 million budget for electrifying Jumpers Informal Settlement has not been fully spent. Officials said that November 6, 2025, marked the first time the appointed contractor was able to officially establish a site and begin work on the project.
The Star